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Overview

Forty-eight percent of employers in a recent Towers Watson survey said voluntary benefits will be an important part of their benefit packages over the next five years. Benefit advisers and employers hoping to drive enrollment in those voluntary benefit programs should consider these four factors that case study research from Des Moines, Iowa-based ARAG shows boost participation. [Image: Fotolia]
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1. Have a single enrollment period for both core and voluntary benefits

Many employers choose to separate core enrollment from voluntary enrollment, however, research shows that enrolling in all benefits at one time can result in six times higher participation, says ARAG. [Image: Fotolia]
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2. Offer payroll deduction

Voluntary benefits that can be paid for with payroll deduction have five times the participation of benefits that use direct pay, says ARAG. [Image: Fotolia]
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3. Communicate early and often

Voluntary benefits that are supported by a strong communication plan, featuring messages that are both early in the process and frequent, result in four times higher participation, the legal solutions provider says. [Image: Fotolia]
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4. Demonstrate support

Employers showing their support of a benefit, either by offering onsite meetings, personalized emails, or testimonials, have the highest impact on participation with rates nearly 10 times higher, ARAG adds. [Image: Fotolia]
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